If you’re an adult living with a mental health condition and need in-depth support, an inpatient program at The Geelong Clinic may be right for you.
Our experienced, qualified and caring team treat a range of mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD and more.
Inpatient programs involve a hospital stay at our Geelong-based clinic, provide round-the-clock care and the opportunity for you to spend time away from your usual living situation and focus on your recovery.
About our General Inpatient Program
We offer a range of inpatient programs to support you. Most people start with the General Inpatient Program which includes an admission to our general ward and a mix of individual and group therapy sessions.
The General Inpatient Program is designed to support people facing
a variety of mental health challenges including:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Bipolar disorder
- Personality disorders
- Trauma and PTSD
- Other general mental health concerns
The program is structured around evidence-based CBT and DBT therapy and wellness activities. Depending on your needs, your psychiatrist may also recommend other medical treatments during your stay including medication, Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) or Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS).
A mixture of therapy types might be right for you. Our team will design a treatment and recovery program personalised to your needs.
What can I expect from the General Inpatient Program?
The purpose of the General Inpatient Program is to help you take charge of your mental health challenges. You’ll learn skills and coping strategies to better manage at home and in the community.
During your 4-week stay, you’ll receive both individual and group-based therapy alongside people that may be experiencing something similar to you. Our goal is to provide a safe and supportive environment for you while you are on your recovery journey.
You’ll be cared for by a team of experts including psychiatrists, nurses, clinical psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, art therapists, music therapists and people with lived experience.
The program incorporates psychological therapies that aim to:
- Help reduce the intensity of symptoms
- Increase motivation and enable participants to take charge of their mental health difficulties
- Teach skills, coping strategies and stress management techniques and other tools to help participants manage their condition long-term
- Use a variety of therapeutic approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for managing negative thought patterns and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for emotional regulation.
- Provide peer support and a safe space for individuals to share experiences and build social connections.
We want you to feel equipped with the right skills to better manage difficult thoughts and emotions going forward.
Ongoing care and support
To increase the likelihood of your long-term recovery, the treating team will work with you to understand and plan for your discharge including the co-ordination of community-based resources and additional support services you may need.
This may include a referral to one of our more specialised inpatient programs - including our Addictive Behaviours Program, Eating Disorders Program or Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) Program – to our community-based day programs and/or outreach services for further support.
Accommodation at The Geelong Clinic
For the General Inpatient Program, you’ll stay with us and receive 24-hour support in a refurbished facility with a comfortable, home-like feel. Our St Albans Park-based facility includes:
- Private rooms with air conditioning, ensuite, TV, telephone and a nurse call button
- Shared courtyard for you to use and an outdoor visitor area
- Interpreters and chaplaincy services are available on request
- Laundry facilities
- Visitor and disabled parking.
Getting a referral - eligibility
To be admitted to one of our inpatient programs you’ll need to see a GP first to get a referral to the admitting psychiatrist at The Geelong Clinic. GPs can address their referral generally to ‘Dear Doctor’ or directly by name to one of our accredited psychiatrists.
For a list of our accredited psychiatrists please click here.
GPs can submit referrals via fax ‘Attention Intake’ on 03 5240 0799.
Being admitted
Once we receive your referral, we’ll book you in for an assessment consultation with our one of our team members. Then if you’re assessment is appropriate for the program, we’ll admit you as soon as possible. We generally offer minimal wait times for admission.
Costs
We understand that costs for admission to a private mental health facility and related charges can be complex, so please call us on 03 5240 0700 with any questions you have – we’re more than happy to help.
Private health insurance
Depending on your level of cover we can estimate hospital charges, outline how much cover your fund offers, and inform you about any out-of-pocket costs you may need to pay. We’ll need to do a private health fund check before you can be admitted or start the program.
We’re recognised by all major private health funds that reimburse treatment costs.
No private health insurance
If you don’t have private health insurance, you can call our Front Office Manager to discuss self-funding your stay. Please call before admission for an estimate of the cost of your stay. You’ll need to pay for your stay in full upon admission.
Workcover, MAB, TAC or DVA
If you’re admitted under Workcover, MAB, TAC or DVA you’ll need prior approval. Please call us first to discuss. We’re a Tier 1 Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) contracted hospital which means all DVA patients with a Gold Card are fully covered for shared accommodation.